site.btaLegal Gun Ownership in Austria: Current Rules and Growing Concerns

The June 10 attack by an armed young man in Graz, which claimed the lives of 10 people and caused a tragedy of unprecedented scale, has sparked numerous questions within Austrian society. Experts and the public, still in shock, are seeking answers.

Austrian media report a growing number of firearms owned by the population. According to Kleine Zeitung, the number of weapons in Austria is on the rise. As of May 1 this year, more than 1.5 million revolvers, pistols, and rifles were registered, as reported by the newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten. In the province of Styria, where Graz - the country’s second-largest city - is located, residents own 212,695 weapons. The number of gun owners has also increased to around 370,000, indicating that most own more than one firearm. For comparison, in 2014 Austria had 837,000 registered firearms and fewer than 300,000 gun owners.

According to criminologists, this rise in privately owned firearms is tied to the subjective sense of security or lack thereof. A study by the Road Safety Board’s Property Protection Department conducted two years ago found that the primary motive for owning a weapon is to protect home and family.

With about 370,000 gun owners, roughly 4% of the population, legally owns firearms. Based on the total number of registered weapons, each gun owner in Austria possesses an average of four firearms. Anyone over the age of 18 may legally own a gun. However, certain categories of firearms require a gun ownership license or a weapons pass.

For perspective, the United States ranks first globally, with 120 firearms per 100 residents.

According to Kleine Zeitung, Austrian gun law classifies weapons into three categories. Category A includes prohibited firearms, such as pump-action shotguns, brass knuckles, and disguised weapons (e.g., knives that look like pens). Category B includes pistols, manually loaded rifles, and semi-automatic firearms. Category C consists mainly of hunting rifles and shotguns.

There is generally no limit to the number of Category C weapons a person may legally own. In contrast, Categories A and B require a permit and a psychological evaluation. For Category C weapons - such as bolt-action rifles and shotguns - no psychological evaluation is required.

However, owning a gun does not mean it can be carried in public. Strict rules apply to carrying firearms in public spaces, and a weapons or hunting license, which is difficult to obtain, is required.

In light of the tragedy that occurred in Graz, questions are being raised about whether Austria’s gun laws are too liberal and whether they should be reviewed and amended.